James Orman on song to celebrate
James Orman is looking to celebrate three years as a metropolitan class jockey by winning his first Group One race on Sold For Song.
Orman will be having his ninth ride in a Group One race when he partners Sold For Song in Saturday’s Tattersall’s Tiara (1350m) at Doomben.
He rode his first metropolitan winner at his first ride in the city on Iniquity on July 1, 2014.
Orman has since gone on to be one of the Queensland’s top jockeys winning 358 races overall, 128 of those in the metropolitan area.
His best win so far came on Niccanova in the Group Three Fred Best Classic last month.
He has ridden seven Listed winners including two on Sold For Song who gave him his first black-type victory when she won the Gold Edition Stakes at Doomben in 2015.
The pair also combined to win last year’s Listed Daybreak Lover Stakes which was Sold For Song’s last win.
“She just never has much luck but she is all heart,” Orman said.
“Give us some luck on Saturday and she will be in the finish.”
Sold For Song has drawn barrier five and will come in two places if two of the five emergencies, Savoreux and Girl Sunday, don’t start.
Trainer Kevin Kemp is a big fan of both Orman and Sold For Song.
“Jim knows her well and she always races well for him. She has been dogged by bad barriers and bad luck,” Kemp said.
“It has been almost a year to the day since she won so surely luck can go our way this time.”
Sold For Song showed she was on course for another win with a fast-finishing fourth in the Group Two Dane Ripper Stakes at Doomben two weeks ago won by Tiara rival Eckstein.
Kemp had debated long about whether to aim Sold For Song at the Tatt’s Tiara or the Group One Stradbroke Handicap.
“In the end I decided to keep her in her own sex,” Kemp said.
Stradbroke runner-up In Her Time remains the TAB’s $3.30 favourite despite drawing barrier 16 of 21 with Sold For Song an $18 chance.
While several of her Tiara rivals are likely to head to the broodmare barn, Sold For Song will go for a spell after Saturday’s race and be prepared for a spring campaign in Melbourne.
“She is a seasoned traveller having been to Melbourne and Sydney,” Kemp said.
“There are a stack of good mares races for her in the spring.”